emmens



(No Model.)

. t S. H..EMMENS. v APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC EXTRACTION'OF'METALS.

Patented July 25, 1893.

8 N E m E .R. m H N M P e T S m Z W w A UNTTED STATES PATENT EEroE.

STEPHEN H. EMMENS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC EXTRACTION OF METALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,997, dated July 25, 1893.

Application filed July 18, 1889- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, STEPHEN HENRY EM- MENS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of London, England, temporarily residing at Harrison, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for theElectrolytic Extraction of Metals, of which the following is a specification.

This apparatus is primarilydesigned for the production of malleable iron direct from the ore; but it is also applicable to the reduction of copper ores, and to the treatment of jewelers sweepings, sulphides, and other metalliferous substances for the separation of the contained metals.

The present invention consists in a novel combination of parts, embodied in a simple electrolytic apparatus as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Its objects are first to adapt the vat to be completely lined with the substance to be op-' erated upon, and to give such lining at all points an anode-backing which is the fixed lining of the vat, thereby exposing a maximum surface to electrolytic action; secondly to prevent short-circuiting between the upper portion of the anode side-linings and the cathodes, and by the same means to insure an efficient circulation of the solvent and the retention of the substance operated upon in contact with said side-linings; and generally to facilitate the construction of an apparatus of any required horizontal extent, adapted for the treatment of ores on a large scale.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a vertical cross-section of my said electrolytic apparatus; and Fig. 2 represents a plan of the apparatus.

Like letters refer to like parts in the two figures.

The apparatus comprises a comparatively shallow rectangular vessel or vat,A,which may conveniently be constructed of paraffined wood. The bottom and sides of this vat are furnished with an anode lining, B, of carbon. An inner rectangular wall or curb, O, of paraffined wood is placed on the carbon floor in such a way as to leave a space about four Serial No. 317,878- (No model.)

each other on their backs to connect with the cross-bars E by through bolts, as shown in the drawings. The sides of the carbon lining B proj ect above the bath A at its four corners, in the form of lugs, to which metallic contactplates, G, are bolted; and these contact-plates are electrically connected in anysuitable mannor with the positive pole of the dynamo or battery.

In the treatment of ore in this apparatus, the operation is as follows: The ore, which, preferably should be crushed to pieces about the size of a hazel-nut, is placed in the bath in such a way as to completely fill the space between the curb and the carbon side linings and to form a layer about six inches thick on the carbon floor, as shown atH in Fig. 1. The

electrolyte, which may consist of an aqueous solution of ammonium sulphate or chloride, or any other suitable solution, is then poured into the vat until there is a depth of about four inches above the ore within the curb D, as represented at I in Fig. l. The cathodes D are then placed in position so as to hang at a distance of about two inches from the ore; and the carbon lining and cathodes being connected with the respective poles of the dynamo or battery, as above, a current of electricity is caused to circulate through the apparatus, its direction being from the carbon lining 'to the several cathodes. The electrolyte readily flows back and forth beneath the curb D, so as to saturate the ore at the sides of the vat, and to convey the metal dissolved from the latter to the cathodes, while the curb prevents any short-circuiting both in the sense of the contact of the cathode with the ore at the sides of the vat and also in the sense of the passage of the electric current through the electrolyte without effective penetration of the ore. The electrolyte being decomposed at the surface of the carbon,its acid constituent unites with the metal or metallic oxide and thus forms a metallic solution which is in turn decomposed, the metal being deposited on the cathodes and the acid set free to take up a fresh charge of metal from the ore. The perforations in the cathodes facilitate the escape of any hydrogen set free by the current, and also facilitate the circulation of the fluid in the upper portion of the vat. The cathodes are lifted out from time to time, and the metallic deposit removed therefrom; and fresh ore is placed in the vat to make up for the portion dissolved. Occasionally, also, the vat is emptied entirely, for the discharge of the accumulated gangue and the renewal of the electrolyte.

When iron ore or scrap cast-iron is being treated for the production of malleable iron, it is desirable to protect the solution in the vat from the oxidizing action of the air. This I eifect by pouringa little parafiine oil on the surface of the electrolyte as shown at J in Fig. 1.

When the deposit on the cathodes is of a loose character, I employ a screen, K, of any suitable material, such as coarse canvas, impregnated with parafline oil, and stretched in a rectangular frame which fits within the on rb C and is supported on cleats, L, fastened to the inside of the latter, so that the screenis interposed between the cathodes and the surface of the metalliferous substance below them. A screen so formed and arranged is readily removed at will for the purpose of collecting the scales and fragments of metal that may fall from the cathodes.

It will be understood that Ido not limit myself to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings.

I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification- In apparatus for the electrolytic extraction of metals, a vat having an anode lining on its floor and sides, in combination with a suitable cathode or cathodes suspended within the vat and a non-porous and non-conducting inner wall or curb located between the side linings and the cathode or cathodes and extending from the upper surface of the floorlining to above the surface of the electrolyte, and serving to support a lining of the substance to be acted upon in contact with the anode side-linings and to prevent short-circuiting between said anode side-linings and the cathodes, substantially as hercinbct'ore specified.

' STEPHEN H. EMMENS. Witnesses:

NEWTON W. EMMENS, H. EDGELL. 

